How can I find information about giving oral medicine to my pet correctly?

It is always best to ask your vet first. He/she should be able to provide you with advice on tried and tested methods, however below are a few suggestions:

1. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions or the recommendations of your vet.
2. Only give a medicine to the animal for which it is intended (unless your vet specifically advises you otherwise). For example, do not use a flea product intended for a dog on a cat.
3. When trying to give a cat a pill, wrap the animal in a towel, to avoid getting scratched.
4. Hide the pill in a treat. You may need to give your pet a treat without medication first to whet its appetite.
5. Then use the same treat to disguise the pill.
6. If you are hiding the pill in a treat, you may need to break the pill into smaller pieces to hide inside the treat.
7. If you are hiding the pill in a treat, always make sure that that the treat is large enough to cover the medication, but small enough for it still to be swallowed whole. All animals will chew if the morsel is large enough, and they may discover the medicine and reject it.
8. Butter is extremely useful in helping a pill to go down easily.
9. There are different formats of some medications available, (e.g. powders, sprays or even injections), so ask your vet or pharmacist.